What helped my mouth heal after implant surgery

My dentist was all about saltwater rinses after my implant, too. They said mouthwash - especially the alcohol-based kind - could actually irritate the gum tissue and slow healing. I remember being tempted to use something stronger, but honestly, the saltwater did the trick. I’m a gadget guy, so I also used a water flosser on the lowest setting, but only after the first week. It helped keep things clean without any sting.

I kinda get the saltwater thing, but I was low-key worried it wouldn’t be enough. Ended up using a non-alcohol mouthwash after a few days - just the gentle stuff - and didn’t have any issues. Maybe I just got lucky with healing, but my gums seemed fine. Anyone else try that route?

I’ve seen a lot of people do fine with gentle, alcohol-free mouthwash after a few days. Saltwater rinses are great for the first stretch, but honestly, I switched to a mild rinse too and my healing was smooth. Just avoided anything harsh or minty at first - felt like overkill on those tender spots. Gums bounced back quicker than I expected, actually.

Interesting, I actually stuck with saltwater rinses for almost two weeks because I was nervous about using anything else. Did you notice any difference in swelling or discomfort once you switched to the mouthwash? I was worried even gentle rinses would sting too much, but maybe I was being overly cautious... How soon did you feel like you could eat normally again?